Testimonials – TNL GAC Pindar ship aeroplane to Europe

TNL Pindar ship aeroplane to Europe

TNL Pindar were recently were tasked with shipping a 1938 DE Havilland aeroplane from Auckland to Bremerhaven, Germany.

With the dimensions being 12 metres long and 6.5 metres wide, with the wings mostly removed, and being a very delicate piece of cargo the first challenge was how best to ship it. It was quickly decided that utilising a Roll on / Roll off option where the aeroplane would be shipped in the confines of a vessel for the duration of the voyage was the best option. The next challenge was how to move it from the Hawke’s Bay to Auckland. Once it was known that the aeroplane could still fly the customer was asked to fly it to Ardmore Aerodrome 25km south of the Ports of Auckland.

Once the plane was safely in a hanger at the aerodrome it had its wings and tail plane dismantled and prepared to be packed into a 40ft container that would ship separately to the plane.

The plane was then shrink wrapped and loaded onto a road transporter for moving to the wharf in Auckland which had to be done in the early hours one morning as at 6.5m wide it could only be on the roads between 22:00 and 06:00.

The plane was then safely towed into the vessel for its long voyage to Europe.